


The Way You Look Tonight

by spikewriter



Series: A Symphony of Ten [9]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-09
Updated: 2014-12-09
Packaged: 2018-02-28 06:40:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2722502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spikewriter/pseuds/spikewriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dinner and Dancing</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Way You Look Tonight

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for Day Nine of my 2009 Advent Calendar on LiveJournal. Edited for posting here. Lyrics are from "The Way You Look Tonight", music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Dorothy Fields.

She'd promised him her forever, and though he knew it would never really happen, her conviction when she said the word touched his hearts. A storm might be coming, but he was convinced he could stave it off a little longer, take joy in what they'd found together. That was why the Doctor had decided they should indulge in some proper dates, complete with dinner and dancing -- and no running involved.

Not that he'd take her just anywhere, of course. No, Rose merited somewhere special, which was why they were now seated at a very nice table near ringside in the Cocoanut Grove at the Ambassador Hotel, a grin on his face as he watched her take in the glittering assemblage scattered among the fake palm trees. "MGM used to claim they had 'more stars than there are in heaven'," he said as they watched Myrna Loy and her escort being shown to their own table nearby. "Bit of an exaggeration, some ballyhoo for the fan magazines, but there are moments when you could actually believe it."

Rose didn't respond, her eyes a bit wide at the scene. He didn't mind the silence, drinking in the sight of her. The TARDIS wardrobe had truly outdone itself this time, somehow placing a beautifully cut Adrian gown in her hands, complete with the appropriate accessories. As far as he was concerned, tonight neither the stars in heaven or scattered about the nightclub shone as brightly as her. It was no hardship to escort her onto the floor, moving smoothly to the strains of the house orchestra as they played the latest hits of 1936 for dancing.

With her pressed close against him, one hand resting in the small of her back and her cheek next to his, the Doctor felt his cares wash away for one brief moment. Right now, he really could believe in forever and that it was contained in this small human female.

On the bandstand, a young singer took his place at the mike even as the crowd continued dancing. He could be someone who'd later become well known or just another face who'd toil away in obscurity, never getting that "big break". If he wanted, the Doctor could easily read the time lines, see what surrounded him, but tonight, all that interested him was Rose.

_Some day, when I'm awfully low,_   
_When the world is cold,_   
_I will feel a glow just thinking of you..._   
_And the way you look tonight._

He closed his eyes, trying to shut out everything except her. He didn't want to think of a time when all he'd have was memory, when the hand he reached for wasn't hers or his hand wasn't the one that held hers as they moved. But the music was an achingly beautiful accompaniment to the words that said everything he felt at this moment. He wanted to store up these memories, make them so strong that neither time nor regeneration could cause them to fade.

A shift and he opened his eyes to discover Rose looking up at him. It was foolish to be sad, he realized, not when they were together and the night was young. Letting himself smile again, he began to move her a bit more vigorously about the floor, only to make a hasty apology after they bumped into Fred Astaire and his wife. "So maybe you don't dance so well this time around," Rose teased as he steered them away from the other couple.

"I dance quite well," he insisted, then leaned closer to whisper in her ear, "and you know it."

His reward was a very becoming flush that spread across her cheeks, but her eyes was bright and full of love. Inspired, he couldn't help singing along for the final verse:

_Lovely ... Never, ever change._   
_Keep that breathless charm._   
_Won't you please arrange it ?_   
_'Cause I love you ... Just the way you look tonight._

He'd take forever with her -- no matter how short it might be.

**Author's Note:**

> Taking Rose on a dinner date in Los Angeles of 1936, it's not surprising the Doctor would choose the [Cocoanut Grove at the Ambassador Hotel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ambassador_Hotel), one of the hottest night spots in the city -- not to mention that it'd be easy to park the TARDIS on the hotel's lush grounds. It was indeed where the stars came out to play, decorated with coconut trees that were reportedly used on Rudolph Valentino's silent classic, _The Sheik_.
> 
> The song the Doctor and Rose dance to is "The Way You Look Tonight," written by Jerome Kerns and Dorothy Fields for the RKO Musical _[Swing Time](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swing_Time_\(1936_film\))_ , released in August of 1936, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, where Fred sings it to Ginger. The song won the Academy Award for Best Song for that year and has remained a classic ever since, covered by everyone from Frank Sinatra to Rod Stewart to Olivia Newton-John to Kris Allen (from _American Idol_ ). It was also used in the final episode of _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_.
> 
> Some day, when I'm awfully low,  
> When the world is cold,  
> I will feel a glow just thinking of you...  
> And the way you look tonight.
> 
> Yes you're lovely, with your smile so warm  
> And your cheeks so soft,  
> There is nothing for me but to love you,  
> And the way you look tonight.
> 
> With each word your tenderness grows,  
> Tearing my fear apart...  
> And that laugh that wrinkles your nose,  
> It touches my foolish heart.
> 
> Lovely ... Never, ever change.  
> Keep that breathless charm.  
> Won't you please arrange it ?  
> 'Cause I love you ... Just the way you look tonight.


End file.
